1. Field of the Invention
The invention is an automated drilling station and, more particularly, a drilling station for use as a part of a computerized manufacturing facility.
2. Description of Related Information
Automated, computer-controlled manufacturing systems are known. Exemplary of such systems and associated work stations are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,845,286, 4,369,563, 4,272,812, 4,342,088, 4,427,431, 4,237,598, Re. 25,886, Re. 25,956, Re. 26,770, 3,052,011, 3,010,371, 3,049,247, 3,188,736 and 3,709,623.
The present invention provides an automated, computer-controlled drilling station for performing drilling operations on sheet metal parts and the like. The invention is particularly designed for use in conjunction with the system broadly described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,308 to the same inventor.
Advantages of the invention are set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.